I might be the only one but having a Dominate running back now, when defenses are geared towards running nickle and dime looks more frequently due to the spread offenses.. I think it would be easier for a HB to ball.

If the LB's are lighter and more DBs are on the field, Safties are no longer like Atwater or Lott, they are more so CB's playing saftey it seems like a good Running game would have the advantage.

He had one of the best seasons for a running back ever. But no, he fell 9 yards short of one record and didn't break any others, again, as basically a one-man team (the record-breakers usually had a good supporting cast).

I don't know why you think he has to break a statistical record to qualify his season as one of the best ever. Especially considering he was 2 carries away from breaking a record - like that would magically change your argument and THEN you'd be for AD.

And for the record, I have no problem with Manning winning it and think he deserves all the credit in the world. But he finishes third for me in the voting behind Peterson and Glenn Cofee.

the best year team wise with the colts was 2004 with 6,475 yards of offense

This year with the Broncos was 6,366 yards... for 2nd best in his Career

Except clearly from watching him the product on the field wasn't as good. He struggled through multiple games, and missed a good amount of throws over the course of the season. He's been much sharper in previous years stats be damned.

Except clearly from watching him the product on the field wasn't as good. He struggled through multiple games, and missed a good amount of throws over the course of the season. He's been much sharper in previous years stats be damned.

and that is expected from coming back from the type of injury he had, but he got stronger and more crisp as the season went on and that is clearly evident when you look at the season as a whole and realize that he took the terrible broncos passing offense of 2011 and it became the 2nd best in his career both yards and point wise, along with QB rating

AD ran for over 1000 yards after contact. Vikes had the toughest last four games of anyone in the league and Adrian put the team on his back to win out and make the playoffs. Yeah he didn't run for 200 yards a game but if you are gonna say Manning played out of his mind every game you're on crack. I am baffled that anyone who watched football this season can say AD wasn't MVP.

Manning had a career year even by his standards, while PLAYING FOR THE BEST TEAM..

Calvin Johnson had an equally impressive individual season in my opinion but its not just about the stats... its about the end product, and since football is a team sport the MVP usually goes to the best player on the best team or near the top.

There is a difference in squeaking in just making the cut, and having the best record in your own division or conference

and Being the record holder or not is a big difference.. no one is going to chase Adrian peterson's record next year.. it will still be Dickerson's

No one is trying to break Manning's 49 td mark, they are gunning for Brady's

2nd place is not nearly as good as being 1st

Who cares about the record? What does being eight yards short of some total a guy had 28 years ago matter to how he played this year? Your logic contradicts itself in this thread. "Who cares about past years?" Followed by "but Dickerson had more yards!!!" Then "but look at Peytons stats this year compared to others!!!" Followed by "its not about the stats! !!"

There is a difference in squeaking in just making the cut, and having the best record in your own division or conference

and Being the record holder or not is a big difference.. no one is going to chase Adrian peterson's record next year.. it will still be Dickerson's

No one is trying to break Manning's 49 td mark, they are gunning for Brady's

2nd place is not nearly as good as being 1st

For the love of god the Vikings were 3-13 last year. The fact that Peterson got them to the playoffs at all is INCREDIBLE. If you're going to try to argue that Peterson and Manning have comparable talent around them I don't know what to tell you.

I really can't believe you're still arguing Dickerson's year was better with a much lower YPC and 14 fumbles. You haven't even countered that other than repeating that he had 8 more yards, which means literally nothing when Peterson would have destroyed the record with the same amount of carries.

I dont understand why fans of a team want their player to win an individual award. Who gives a ****. I want the Broncos to win a superbowl, not Manning to win a series of awards. I wouldnt be remotely happier if he is the MVP.

That being said, surely some voters will get caught up in the neck surgery/taking a brand new team to the AFC top seed story. Same goes for Peterson, great story to go with the numbers. It will be a close finish between the two IMO.

I dont understand why fans of a team want their player to win an individual award. Who gives a ****. I want the Broncos to win a superbowl, not Manning to win a series of awards. I wouldnt be remotely happier if he is the MVP.

That being said, surely some voters will get caught up in the neck surgery/taking a brand new team to the AFC top seed story. Same goes for Peterson, great story to go with the numbers. It will be a close finish between the two IMO.

I think it's just icing on the cake for some fans. We're in a fantasy football era now where individual statistics and awards hold higher value and relevance to overall success in a team-oriented sport. It is what it is.

Week 1 they beat Jacksonville in OT with 84 yards from Peterson in the run game. Average performance.

Week 2 they lose to Indianapolis with 60 rushing yards for Peterson. Very average performance.

Week 3 they beat SF with 86 rushing yards. Nice against a good defense but hardly world beating.

Week 4 they beat Detroit with Peterson breaking 100 for the first time.

Week 5 they beat Tennessee with Peterson back in the 80s yardage wise.

That was 4 wins in the first 5 games with good to average production from Peterson. The Lions finished with 4 wins on the season. Im sure not having AP wouldve meant a loss in the second matchup giving detroit five wins. just making an observation in your hypothetical, not a big deal but still.

EXACTLY!!! those d's were like totally geared to stopping the incredible ponder to harvin connection and AP STILL couldnt do anything with all that running room they were giving him...

oh

wait

of course thats not how it happened. every team who plays the vikings gameplans and fears AP and has been doing so since favre left. No team is worried about Ponder. None. That team has a below average QB (with a noodle arm who they ask very little of due to his limited skills) and an average D.

Look at the QBs in the playoffs for gods sakes! The worst BY FAR is ponder. They have an average D, but one of the worst of the playoff bound teams. YET THEYRE STILL IN.

I get hes not a QB blah blah blah. But if QB is the most impactful position (true) and most important (true), then how is a team with a bad one and mediocre D still playing next week? because AP is a freak, thats how.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thumper/JBCX/Bixby

Orton will never be in the same class as the Drew Brees or the Peyton Mannings or the Tom Bradys of the world. Kevin Kolb has the potential to be that kind of player.

Week 1 they beat Jacksonville in OT with 84 yards from Peterson in the run game. Average performance.

Week 2 they lose to Indianapolis with 60 rushing yards for Peterson. Very average performance.

Week 3 they beat SF with 86 rushing yards. Nice against a good defense but hardly world beating.

Week 4 they beat Detroit with Peterson breaking 100 for the first time.

Week 5 they beat Tennessee with Peterson back in the 80s yardage wise.

That was 4 wins in the first 5 games with good to average production from Peterson. The Lions finished with 4 wins on the season.

First of all, Titans, Jaguars, and Lions were 3 of the most pathetic teams this season.
Secondly, and here's a big thing, Peterson was just coming back from his torn ACL/MCL.
Remember, that injury happened at the end of last year, not midway or early.
Many felt Peterson would not, should not, be out there that soon...

He still commanded a presense and every opposing DC made stopping him their #1 priority. That's why Harvin was so effective early against one-on-ones.
It's also what makes it so amazing that after Peterson got his legs back, his feel, confidence, and after Harvin was done and defenses able to focus on him even more, he went all Dickerson on the league, coming down the stretch needing to win every game.

Week 1 they beat Jacksonville in OT with 84 yards from Peterson in the run game. Average performance.

Week 2 they lose to Indianapolis with 60 rushing yards for Peterson. Very average performance.

Week 3 they beat SF with 86 rushing yards. Nice against a good defense but hardly world beating.

Week 4 they beat Detroit with Peterson breaking 100 for the first time.

Week 5 they beat Tennessee with Peterson back in the 80s yardage wise.

That was 4 wins in the first 5 games with good to average production from Peterson. The Lions finished with 4 wins on the season.

You are so spoiled by how good of a season Adrian Peterson had. 80+ yards in a game is still a very good performance for a running back. Only five other running backs AVERAGED 80+ yards per game. Adrian Peterson averaged 80.5 yards per game in his six WORST games. Yeah, that's right. You could completely ignore Adrian Peterson's TEN BEST games, and he'd still be 6th in yards per game.

I still can't get over how in this day and age when the rules coddle the collective nutsack of the passing game in the NFL, AP is averaging more yards per rush than his own QB did per pass....and they made the playoffs with that formula